Can top remover with wedge lifter



June 12, 1956 Filed July 27, 1953 2,749,785 CAN TOP REMOVER WITH WEDGE LIFTER Lloyd r. Locke and Ray v. Shafer, Belmont, can. Application Jul 27, 1953, Serial No. 370,324

Claims. (Cl. 81: 3.46

This invention relates to an improved tool for removing the telescoping detachable tops from cans.

Printing ink is commonly distributed in cylindrical shaped seamless cans having a closely fitting top of the type having a depending annular flange which telescopically extends around and firmly contacts the sides of the can. Since printing inks tend to oxidize and harden when exposed to the outer atmosphere it is desirable to provide a can holding such ink with a seamless closely fitting top or lid which will excludethe outer air and at the same time be removable and replaceable. It is also desirable that neither the can top or the can be disfigured or damaged when the top is removed, otherwise upon replacing the disfigured top on the can the outer air is apt to enter and damage the ink therein. Then, also, it frequently happens that when the ink is taken from the can some of it adheres to the outer surface of the sidesof the can, thereupon acting as an adhesive after the top is replaced on the can to prevent the convenient removal of such top.

Heretofore it has been the common practice in removing the telescopic tops or lids from cans holding printing inks to use screw drivers, knives or other implements, but such use frequently resulted in the disfigurement of the can top to an extent that the outer atmosphere was allowed to enter the can. In such instances u nless the ink contained in the opened can is quickly used up, it deteriorates and hardens, thereby rendering it unsuitable for future use. 7

The tool or implement comprising the present invention is adapted to remove the tops from cans without disfiguring or damaging either the top or the can. The tool carries a wedge member which is inserted between the depending annular telescoping flange of a can top and the sides of an associated can, and by manually actuating the wedge member circularly around the can an upward pressure is applied to the top sufficient to effect its displacement and removal. The wedge member when actuated circularly around the sides of the can not only exerts an upward pressure on the top but it separates the telescoping flange of the top from the adjacent sides of the can sufliciently to break any adhesive-like seal which might be present by reason or" hardened ink collecting between such flange and sides.

The primary object of our invention is to provide an improved top removing tool of the kind characterized, one which may be used with cans of various sizes, and which is adapted to effectivelyremove a fianged'top from a can without damage or disfigurement to either the top or the can.

Other and further objects of our invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application we have elected to show herein certain forms and details of a can top remover representative of our invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of our invention herein nited States Patent 0 shown and described is for the purpose of illustration only and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a can top removing tool embodying the principles of our invention; I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale, showing the tool in an applied position with respect to a can from which its top is to be removed; I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3- .3 of Fig, 2; V

Fig. 4 is a side view of the wedge member; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the tool applied to a can of larger size.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a handle having upper and lower spaced angular plates 2 and 3 secured thereto as by rivets or screws. The upper and lower plates 2 and 3 are each formed with a similarly shaped arcuate extension 4 (only the arcuate extension on the upper plate being shown on the drawing). The upper arcuate extension 4 is provided with an inwardly protruding upper flange 6 which is connected to such upper extension at its inner edge by an arcuate shoulder 7. When the tool is in use theinwardly protruding flange 6 rests on the can top with the shoulder 7 engaging with the depending flange of such can top. At the juncture of the upper and lower plates 2 and 3 with their respective arcuate extensions aroller 8 is mounted on a pin or rivet 9, such roller extending inwardly beyond the inner arcuate edge of the arcuate extension of the lower plate 3 sufliciently to engage with the annular depending flange of a can top when the tool is in use. Pivotally connected to the forward ends of the upper and lower extensions of the upper and lower plates 2 and 3 by a pin or rivet 10 are upper and lower intermediary arcuate links 11 and 12, and similarly connected to the opposite ends of such intermediary links by a pin or rivet 13 are arcuate upper and lower end links 14 and 15. Rotatably mounted on th Pins or rivets 10 and 13 respectively, are rollers 16 and 17. The rollers 16 and 17 project inwardly beyond the inner edges of the links, and when the tool is in use in an applied position with respect to a can top, these rollers as well as .the roller 8 engage with the sides of the depending telescoping flange of such can top, and facilitate the circular manipulation of the tool around the can top.

In the embodiment shown, the lower plate 3, its arcuate extension, and the lower arcuate links 12 and 15 are all preferably in the same plane, and similarly, the correspor ding upper plate, its extension and the upper inter mediary link are in a common plane which is parallel to the lower plane. The upper end link 14, however, is bent downwardly, and the forward ends of the end links 14 and 15 are in contacting relation.

Pivotally mounted on an upstanding pin or rivet 18 carried on the forward ends of the end links 14 and 15 is an upstanding wedge member 19 which preferably has upwardly and rearwardly converging opposed sides that form sharp rear and upper edges. The wedge member 19 is also formed with a right angle flanged base portion 20 which is pivotally supported on the pin 13. A can of the seamless type which, is used to hold printing ink or other material from which the outer air is to be excluded except when opened, is designated by the numeral 21, and its top or lid and the depending telescoping annular flange of such top or lid are designated, respectively, by the numerals 22 and 23.

Preparatory to the can top removing operation, the upper sharp or pointed end of the wedge member 19 is forced upwardly between the depending flange 23 of the can top and the side of the associated can 21. The sets of pivoted links connecting the wedge member 19 and thea'rcuate extension 4 of the'upper and lower plates 2 and 3 are adjusted to bring'the rollers 8, 16 and 17 into engagement with the depending flange 23 of the can top, and at the same time the inwardly protruding flange 6 is positioned on'the upper flat side of such can top. In ordinary practice the rollers are automatically brought into engagement with the flange 23 of the can top after the wedge member 19 is inserted between such flange and the side of the can and the handle 1 is swung inwardly to position the flange 6 on the top of the can top With the tool manually held by the handle 1 in the position described, the can is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, or if desired, the tool may be pulled rearwardly and moved in a clockwise direction around the can while the latter is held against rotation, In either 'method the wedge member 19 moves circularly with respect to the can and can top, thereupon exerting an upward pressure on the depending flange 23 of the can top.. Each time the wedge member circles the can the can top is progressively lifted in an upward direction from the can, and finally after two or three of such encirclements the top is sufiiciently raised from its initial closed position on the can to allow its complete removal by merely grasping such can top with one hand and pulling it upwardly while the can is held with the other hand. The depending flange 23 as well as the sides of the can are some- What flexible, thereby making it possible for the said flange to bend outwardly and become temporarily distorted as the wedge member changes its position. The flange 23 and also the sides of the can 21, if the latter happen to be pressed inwardly by the action of the wedge member, resume their normal position after the removal of the pressure thereon by the wedge member. The can top may thus be removed without permanently disfiguring or damaging either the can or the can top. Should any ink or other hardened material collecting between the depending flange of the can top and the sides of the can act as an adhesive and normally make it diflicult to eifect the detachment of the can top from the can, the wedge member will break the adhesive seal and thereby loosen the flange so such can top can be readily removed.

As illustrated by Figs. 2 and of the drawings, the pivoted links make it possible for the arcuate arrangement of the wedge member 19 and the rollers 8, 16 and 17 to be relatively adjusted so the tool may be satisfactorily used with cylindrical cans of various sizes. The wedge member 19 being pivotally mounted on the adjacent ends of the links 14 and is automatically selfadjusting, thereby avoiding any binding action with respect to the wedge member and the depending flange of the can top, irrespective of the diameter of the particular can with which the tool is used. The upwardly converging opposed sides of the wedge member terminating in an upwardly disposed pointed end makes it possible to easily project the said wedge-member upwardly between the flange of the top and the side of the can.

While the present invention has been associated herein with seamless cylindrical cans of the type adapted to contain printing ink, it is to be understood that our improved tool may be used in the removal of telescoping can tops from cans holding various other materials or compounds which are apt to deteriorate when exposed to the outer air.

In the embodiment of our invention shown on the drawing, the links connecting the wedge member 19 and the arcuate extension 4 of the handle plates 2 and 3, are arranged in pairs, and while such a duplex link construction is to be preferred, it is to be understood that one-unit the depending flange of the can top, and pivoted link means connecting the handle and the wedge member.

2. In a can top removing tool for use with cans of the type having detachable tops formed with depending telescoping annular flanges, a wedge member insertable between and engageable with the side of such a can and the annular depending telescoping flange of its detachable top, the wedge member having upwardly converging sides and a pointed upper end, a handle, means connected to the handle for externally engaging With the depending flange of the can top, and a plurality of pivotally connected links interposed between and connecting the wedge member and the handle.

3. In a can top removing tool for use with cans of the type having detachable tops formed with depending telescoping annular flanges, an upstanding wedge member insertablebetween and engageable with the side of such a can and the depending telescoping annular flange of its detachable top, the wedge member having upwardly converging sides and a pointed upper end, a rigid handle carrying a rigid protiuding flange resting on the can top when the tool is in operation, means connected to the handle for externally engaging with the depending annular flange of the can top, and pivoted link means connecting the handle and the wedge member.

4. In a can top removing tool for use with cans of the type having detachable tops formed with depending telescoping annular flanges, an upstanding Wedge member insertable between and engageable with the side of such a can and the depending telescoping annular flange of its detachable top, the wedge having upwardly and rearwardly converging sides, and the wedge member being mounted for pivotal adjustment about an upstanding pivot, and a handle, connected to the wedge, the handle having means engaging externally with the depending flange of the can top.

5. In a can top removing tool for use with cans of the type having detachable tops formed with depending telescoping annular flanges, an upstanding wedge member insertable between and engageable with the side of such a can and depending telescoping annular flange of its detachable top, an operating handle, means connected to the handle for engaging externally with the annular flange of the can top, and an elongated connecting member connecting the handle and the Wedge, the handle being connected to one end of the connecting member and the wedge being pivotally connected to the other end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 286,836 Liljencrautz Oct. 16, 1883 1,741,607 Bradley Dec. 21, 1929 2,151,209 Hohman Mar. 21, 1939 2,503,683 Perkins Apr. 11, 1950 2,593,358 Sprich Apr. 15, l952 2,636,407 Payne Apr. 28, 1953 

